Look out for some of the Japanese 70s Japanese replica’s Ibanez, Greco etc.
Although the price of these has jumped in recent years you should be able to find a decent one for well under half the price of a Ric.
I was never a fan of Rics, then randomly came across an Ibanez, it was a bit battered and the chrome has bubbles and peeled in a few places, a bit of a fixer upper but it appealed to me and now it’s one of my keeper basses ( I kid myself that’s a real thing 😄)
Has a sound all of its own.